What is right amount of tissue to remove in breast reduction?

Your situation is very frustrating.  850 grams is a lot for an insurance company to require; however, that is the situation we are in.  The best way to visualize these volumes is to ask your plastic surgeon to show you an implant that is approximately 650grams and one that is 850grams.  He/she will most likely not have one implant of these sizes but can put several smaller ones together to show you what the volumes look like.  This way you can visualize the volume, hold the implants up to your breast, and try to visualize how much breast volume you will have left over after the resection.  Your plastic surgeon can do this in his/her head because of his/her experience.  However, it can be helpful for you to visualize it also.  Discuss with your surgeon two things:  is it even possible to remove 850 grams and what does he/she think the aesthetic will be.  Generally speaking, 200 grams is a significant amount but it depends on the size of your breast right now and what size you want to be post-operatively.  Hope this helps.

Tracy M. Pfeifer, MD, MS

Breast reduction volume can vary a great deal.  While 200 gms may be a 'spit in the bucket" for very larger breasted women, in others it may be all that they have. It would be hard to tell without examining you first.  Taking out too much may make your breasts look too small.

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